Texas Mom loses custody and gets probation for spanking her daughter

On behalf of Lisa E. McKnight, P.C. posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.

Over the years, spanking has become a point of controversy among parents. Scores of arguments have been had over whether spanking a child is a legitimate way to discipline a child. Some see spanking as inexcusable and equate it to abuse. Others see spanking as a last resort and say they experienced it as a child for the better. For one mother from Texas her decision to spank her child was discussed in the legal context and within a court room. The Texas mother lost child custody and was given probation for spanking her daughter.

A Texas judge sentenced the mother from Corpus Christi to five years of probation after the mother pled guilty to the charge of Injury of a Child for spanking her daughter who was almost two years old at the time. In her ruling, the judge said, "You don't spank children today. In the old days, maybe we got spanked, but there was a different quarrel. You don't spank children."

The mother from Texas was arrested last December after the grandmother of the child noticed red marks on the girl's buttocks. The grandmother took the little girl to a local children's hospital for an appointment and from there the story progressed.

The mother has two other children and does not have child custody over all three of her children. The three children live with the grandmother and will remain in the grandmother's care until the mother is deemed worthy by the Department of Family and Protective Services.

In addition to her five years of probation, the mother will have to pay a fine of $50 and take parenting classes.

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The law firm of Lisa E. McKnight, P.C., in Dallas, Texas, serves clients throughout Greater Dallas, including Highland Park, University Park, Plano, Frisco, Denton, McKinney, Lakewood, Richardson, Coppell, Carrollton, Farmers Branch and Mesquite. We also serve residents of all cities and towns in Dallas County, Collin County, Denton County and Rockwall County.